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Tuesday, 28 March 2017

On Friday night, I went out for dinner with my boyfriend, and decided I was going to go all out with my outfit! I bought a cute little mesh top from Forever 21, and thought that I won't have many opportunities to wear it, so I wore it on Friday night.

This was my outfit - and I loved wearing it! I have on a bralette that I got from Primark and a mesh top from Forever 21. I just wore a pair of plain black jeans from H&M and high heeled black boots which I can't remember where I got them from. I loved my outfit so much, but it was my makeup which really pulled this look together for me.

I used my Violet Voss Holy Grail palette and my Supercat liner to create this eye look. I used the colour Wine N Dine in my crease and outer corner, which I blended into Cranberry Splash. For my inner corner highlight I applied Ploof and then finished with my Supercat eyeliner in Black. I wanted to keep my eye look simple as I was getting hungry at this point and I wanted to go and eat. Do you have any go-to glam looks that you like to do? Thank you for reading. -Ashleigh xoxo

Monday, 27 March 2017

For Christmas, I got a Soap and Glory suitcase and it had Hand Food, Smoothie Star body lotion, Sugar Crush body wash, Scrub of Your Life body scrub, Speed Plump moisturiser and Face Soap and Clarity face wash in it. I love all of these products individually, and I've previously used the Hand Food hand cream and the Scrub of Your Life body scrub and love them. I've used the face wash since Christmas (I use it at night after I remove my makeup, usually with the Soap and Glory Total Drama Clean 5-in-1 Micellar Water) and I can definitely see an improvement in my skin! I don't have the worst skin, however I am prone to a few spots, usually around my chin area, but this wash really helps!

How I apply: I use this after I've removed my makeup, and I use a cotton pad to remove my makeup. I use a face cloth to wash my face and don't like having mascara streaks on my face cloth. I wash my face with water first, then apply a 2p sized amount to my face and apply this all over. Then, I wash my face to get all the residue off. As I am applying this at night, I use my Speed Plump (also by Soap and Glory) moisturiser and I put some Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse oil on top of that. Personally, I feel the Soap and Glory moisturiser really adds moisture to my dry face, and the facial oil makes my face feel so soft and glowy! Thanks for reading, what face wash do you use? Any recommendations? -Ashleigh♡ xoxo

Wednesday, 22 March 2017

I got this Sleek Storm palette in early September last year, but I never used it as I think it's quite similar to the Naked palette. But I thought I'd try and see it and how I liked it.

I personally love the colours in this palette as they are quite earthy tones, and I feel I stick to earthy tones in my eyeshadow looks.

I decided to jump right into it and do some swatches of this palette, and just from doing swatches I can see how pigmented these shadows are. What I love about this palette is that there is a decent amount of shimmery colours coupled with matte colours - which is so ideal as I know I'd worry about not having a matte for my crease otherwise.

I then thought I'd swatch my Naked palette to see how close the colours are, and as you can see, the Naked and Sleek palette are almost identical, with the exception of a few colours. There isn't the green and blue colours in the Naked palette, and there is more brown tones in the Naked palette. The eyeshadows in each feel different, so you can definitely tell the Naked palette is of higher quality. All in all, both these palettes are great. The Naked palette is such a good eyeshadow palette and is worth the money as you can create so many versatile looks with it and is so good quality. I've had mine for over a year, use it a lot and haven't hit pan on any of them. However, if you're looking for a dupe that is just as long-lasting (I had to use soap to get my swatches off), pretty, pigmented and so inexpensive, then the Sleek Storm palette is definitely for you!What dupes of high-end makeup do you like?- Ashleigh xoxo

Monday, 20 March 2017

In my March birchbox, there was less makeup and face masks and more of overall beauty (I have to admit, this disappointed me).

My box came in this packaging, and I have to admit I was underwhelmed. It didn't have the drawer feature of the other boxes I've received and it's quite plain, I'm not a fan and this will be going in the recycling.

The first gift I got was this amika: Style Shield Style Extending Spray which retails for £20. I received an amika: hair mask last month (which I used once) and really liked it, and I am excited to use this product, although I have to admit I don't know what it is.

The next product is this Santorini Vine Showergel, which is £8. I feel two ways about this product; on the one hand I'm really excited to use this as it's from Santorini and I'd love to go there one day, but on the other hand I feel that Birchbox is about delivering high-end beauty products to you, and I can easily pop into Marks and Spencer's and get one of these, so on that note I am underwhelmed.

The next thing I received is these tiny Bobbi Brown face masks (£20). One is deep cleansing, one is rejuvenating and the last one is nourishing for the skin. I am also not too overwhelmed by these as they are tiny, however I am willing to give them a go before I pass any major judgement.

Finally, I got this Benefit Double the Lip in my Birchbox and this is the product that excites me the most. This product has a lipliner at the end of the lipstick, which glides onto your lips as you're applying your lipstick. I looooove wearing lipliner, however I always struggle with it and I never wear it, but this makes it effortlessly simple! This has a retail value of £16.50.

All in all, my Birchbox was a mixed bag, and I don't think it has been as good as my other Birchboxes. I was so excited to open this, however it left me disappointed and I only really loved one product. I am hoping next month's box is better than this months.

Friday, 17 March 2017

Whenever I do a natural makeup look, I always try to incorporate bright eyes or lips into the look. Today, I thought it'd be fun to do a natural no makeup makeup look! Whenever I am just going into town, or to my grans etc. I usually do a natural look (in case I see anyone I know). So, I thought it'd be fun to show you guys exactly how I create it!

The first thing I do (which is very important and you should be doing regardless), is washing my face. I use this Vasanti Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator (£31.50) which I got in my February Birchbox. This cleanser is like an exfoliator and I can literally feel it working! It is honestly so good and I thank the Birchbox gods for bringing this into my life.

Next, I use my Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel toner (£3.89). I've seen a lot of YouTube videos saying you don't need toner, but I have been applying toner since I was 13 and now I just have "cleanse, tone, moisturise" in my head whenever I was my face. I love how fresh this toner smells and I love using it first thing in the morning to wake myself up.

For moisturiser, I use the Simple Kind to Skin Replenishing Lotion (£4.19) and Soltan Face Suncream (£6.00). I use the Replenishing moisturiser from about November to April, and then the lighter Simple moisturiser for the rest of the year. I mix the suncream and the moisturiser and apply them together.

Next, I use my Lord & Berry pencil concealer (£12.00) to spot-treat blemishes. I also got this in my Birchbox.

To set my concealer and give my face even coverage, I use the Benefit Hello Flawless powder. (£25.50). There is a handy sponge and brush under the powder which I use to apply it.

For cheeks, I apply my Nars Orgasm (£23.00) blush, which gives the cheeks a flushed look while not looking too cakey. I use my Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply this.

I then apply my Bobbi Brown bronzer (£30.00) with the same Real Techniques brush to avoid a line. I usually apply this bronzer with my Real Techniques sculpting bush, however using it with my blush brush ensures that it blends out well.

For eyebrows I use my Maybelline Master Brow Palette (£6.99) which I love as it doesn't give me a red tint like other drugstore brands. It contains the brow wax, powder and a weird skin colour powder to highlight. I have never used the highlight as it lacks sparkle and shine which I think makes it pointless to try.

Fnally, I apply this Thick and Fast mascara by Soap and Glory (£10.50) which I love, as it gives you length and volume.

And this is the finished look!! (Yes, I'm still wearing my dressing gown as I'm too cold to take it off :()

Any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comments and I will get back to you.

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Two nights ago, I put bendy rollers in my damp hair and went to sleep and in the morning I awoke with beautiful curls that held all day! I've never tried bendy rollers in wet hair, however I can imagine that the hair shaft wouldn't dry all round the roller and as a result, you'd be left with wet, limp, lifeless curls. When I woke up, my hair was super curly and I wanted my curls to drop a little before I put hairspray in it. This was my hair when I woke up - as you can see it was super curly and big - I looked like a poodle. I kept the rollers in for about an extra hour while I was doing my makeup and I planned to get my outfit on before I took the rollers out, but the anticipation was killing me and I was so excited to see my curls! Even before they dropped out a bit they looked gorgeous too, and with some frizz-taming hairspray (my fave is the Tresemme Ultimate Hold one), the curls would be less frizzy and I'd be ready to leave the house.

However, as the morning went on and it was time for me to leave the house, the curls dropped and as a result my hair looked less frizzy. I also pinned back the front of my hair as it was getting in my face and this gave more volume to the section on the right of my face. I used the VO5 hairspray (I can't remember what it's called) in my curls as it is less stiff than the Tresemme one.

My curls stayed all day but I don't have a picture of my hair at the end of the day. I really think that using bendy rollers to create curls is a great method of curling hair. When I curl my hair with a curling iron I am lucky if they stay for a few hours, however with this method they stayed through wind and light rain. Overall I am so impressed with how well my curls turned out and how long they lasted - I was just looking to do something different with my hair and was only concerned with my curls lasting until I finished college, but they stayed curly for so much longer than expected. In fact, last night I didn't wash my hair and kept the curls, expecting them to fall out in the night but they made my hair quite wavy and there is still a noticeable curl pattern to it. My rollers cost £2 from Primark and I picked them up in summer to change up my hair routine. I would definitely suggest this product to anyone - the rollers are so inexpensive and made my hair look and feel amazing! I didn't use any product on my hair prior to applying the rollers, apart from my kukui oil which I always use, however I'd be interested in applying my Lee Stafford Here Come the Curls Creme Lite to my hair before using my rollers and seeing what the effects are. Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave me a comment. - Ashleigh xoxo

Monday, 13 March 2017

For the past few weeks, I have been so into face masks and have been using at least one once a week, so I thought I'd do a review and show you my favourite(s).

I love using these 7th Heaven face masks, as I feel they are really fresh! I love using peel-off masks, however I feel these masks aren't as good for actually getting into the skin and removing impurities. That said, they are really cheap (£1 in Boots) and actually do work! Overall, I'd say that these masks are great for a midweek pick-me-up or good for slumber parties etc., but aren't as good for getting right into the skin. I have never tried the creamy face masks, but I'd be interested in seeing how they perform. On a one to ten scale, I'd probably give these masks a 6. They're not the worst but aren't the best either.

These Boots Ingredients masks smell so good! Again I didn't see many improvements to my skin (my face always feel tight after using face masks) and I'm not a massive fan of sheet masks as I never notice a difference when using them. The masks themselves smell great, and really left me feeling fresh, however I'm not sure if this is a result of the fragrance of the asks. Same as the 7th Heaven masks, these sheet masks are cheap (I think they are two for £3 currently in Boots) and are a good pick-me-up. Overall, I'd give these masks 4 out of 10, as the only thing that really draws me to them is the smell.

I LOOOOOOVE this mask!!!!! It smells soooooo good, and is a clay formula (which I love as I can see the mask sinking into my pores, so I know it's working!) I genuinely do not have a bad thing to say about this mask, it is rare in that my face feels baby smooth for a good few days after using it, and directly after using it I don't feel like I need to slather loads of moisturiser on my face. This mask cost me £5.69 from Boots, and I think that's a great price considering you get enough to do 10 facials. This mask is literally a godsend, and as someone with dry and oily combination skin, I can vouch for its effectiveness. Out of 10, this mask is a 10 in my eyes and I'd recommend it to anyone!I recently got the Sephora sheet face mask (I think it was the pearl brightening one from my friend in Italy), and that was what kickstarted my recent obsession. That one is the only sheet mask I agree with and like, I just wish we had Sephora in the UK so I could get more! Thank you so much for reading!

Friday, 10 March 2017

This is a look that I done last Saturday, but I am so proud of it and wanted to tell you what products I used to create this look and how I done it!

I was going out with my family to a party, and I done this look. On my eyes I used the Naked 3 palette. If you don't know anything about this palette, it features a lot of pinks and rosy colours. I personally am not a fan of this palette as the colours are far too light for me, but the colours in the palette matched the dress I was wearing.

On my crease, I used the colour "Factory" which I applied into my outer corner of my eye too, to give it some added dimension. Then I put "Buzz", which is a pink-gold shade all over my lid and tried to blend the two colours together. I next applied some black liquid eyeliner to my eye (I think liquid eyeliner is always necessary when using light eyeshadow colours). Finally, I used Barry M's Dazzle Dust. I can't remember what the colour is called but I used the silver glitter on my lid and tried to avoid the eyeliner. I sprayed L'Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist onto my brush before applying the glitter and I'd definitely recommend this step if you plan on recreating this look!

For the rest of my face, I applied the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation in the shade "Vanille Clair". This foundation is quite high coverage and as a result I didn't apply any concealer. (My skin was looking nice for once!) Then I put on blusher, I use "Orgasm" by Nars and it is literally a holy grail for me. For bronzer, I use "Hoola" by Benefit, however I use a little as a little goes a long way. I powdered my face with translucent powder (I just use Collection) and then put "High Beam" by Benefit where I usually highlight. I used this highlight as it gives your skin a subtle glow and doesn't shine too much. Last but not least, I spritzed my face with the Infallible Fixing Mist, took a few selfies and went on my way!

These products are not products I use everyday as I am not one for glittery eyeshadow for college, but I did enjoy using products that were a bit out of my comfort zone. Not wearing concealer was a change for me as usually I wear a lot of it, but the coverage of this foundation ensured I didn't have to.

Thank you for reading lovelies, if you have any questions, feel free to comment!

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

So, yesterday I done a look using my Holy Grail palette and I was in love! I went for more of a neutral-coppery look (usually I do brown looks), but I wanted to see how the neutral colours performed on this palette.

For my eyeshadow, I used the colour "Transition" in my crease and mixed the shades "Awesome Sauce" and "Toffee" on my lid. On my lower lash line, I applied "Awesome Sauce".

Aaaaand this is the look with my eyes open. I've applied an Instagram filter over this picture, hence why I look a little ethereal. This eyeshadow look did make my eyes pop a lot, and I'd strongly recommend it for those who have blue eyes. (I have blue-grey eyes and it made them look so blue!)

One main criticism I do have on this palette is that I found it really difficult to think of a look to try out. This is probably due to me just being stuck in my ways of applying slight variations on my normal chocolate eyeshadows. Nevertheless, I thought the shadows themselves were very easy to blend, as it usually takes me a lot of work just to get my eyeshadow looking semi-decent, however this required virtually no effort. All in all I am impressed and feel that this eyeshadow is definitely worth the £43 price tag!

....Now for the swatches...

I have taken these photos in artificial light as now it is far too dark to take any in natural light, so I apologise in advance if these do not appear as good!

The first three colours are really pretty highlight shades. (Crystal, Poof and Thanks a Latte), however are really hard to swatch so instead of showing you, I will try to describe them. Crystal is a lovely, creamy, sparkly white shade that looks exactly like how you'd imagine it. Poof is a beautiful pearly pink colour that could be worn as a highlight, and would also look lovely as a base or just as a shadow. Finally, Thanks a Latte is a matte white-ivory shade.

So, from my wrist to my elbow, the colours are: Transition, Hashtag, Awesome Sauce, Bestie, Toffee, Chill, How U Doin, Bat My Eyes, Cool Beans, R U Kitten Me? and So Jelly. The last two colours didn't show up great so I shall swatch them with the next batch of colours.

These eyeshadows are soooooo pigmented, it is unreal. They wash off really easily too and are waterproof. (It was raining yesterday and my mascara ran, but my eyeshadow didn't come off). I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but I felt like they didn't run at all when it was srainig, yet when I washed my face it came off so easily! For me, these eyeshadows are definitely worth £43 and I can see why these shadows always run out of stock because they are so good! Another thing which excites me about this palette is how it will make me think of more eyeshadow looks to try as it doesn't contain a lot of browns, however contains a lot of other colours that I never wear on my eyes.

I am so excited to continue using this palette, and create loads of looks that I never normally wear!

Monday, 6 March 2017

I ordered myself the Violet Voss Holy Grail palette from Beauty Bay, and I was not disappointed! I'm planning to do a full review of the palette, along with swatches in a few days once I use the palette on myself, however just by looking at it I am amazed! The palette came in this iridescent-type box, which is also what the front of the palette looks like. Personally, I was not all that impressed, as I feel the box itself looks quite cheap and like a dupe or a knock-off. The back of the box claims that the shadows are infused with jojoba oil, and has #MyHolyGrail on it.

Initially, I did not have high hopes for this palette, as looking at the box I thought I was going to be underwhelmed, but then I opened the palette itself and HOLY MOLY I AM IN LOVE. I only swatched the colours "Toffee" and "On Fleek" to see how pigmented they were and yes they are pigmented *heart eyes*. There's also a mirror on the back of the front cover, which personally I would not use as I tend to use a smaller pocket mirror when applying eyeshadow (I'd find the whole palette a bit cumbersome to lift up and use as a mirror, but I know this method works for some girls).

Overall, I love the shadows in this palette, the two colours I have swatched are very pigmented, the colours seem light and easy to blend. However, I am not a fan of the box this palette came in, or the placement of the mirror. That being said, I was (and still am) so excited to use this palette.